Regional

Many candidates eye BJP ticket in Diphu

With many candidates vying for tickets from Diphu Autonomous Districts constituency under BJP, some names are doing the round while others have been voiced.

Sitting MLA of Howraghat, Joyram Engleng, who was BJP’s nominee in 2014, fought against all odds and missed the target by a narrow margin can be regarded a capable contender. He in fact established the foundation of BJP in the autonomous hill districts of Assam .

Former MLA of Diphu, Bidyasing Engleng who recently joined BJP after ditching Congress is another contender whose name features among the higher ups of the BJP leadership. His name was shortlisted by the State Screening Committee of the BJP on Thursday as candidate for the upcoming elections. Apart from Engleng, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council’s Executive Member Horensing Bey is also in the fray as a probable candidate for the forthcoming election.

The other popular choices for the BJP ticket is sitting MLA of Baithalangso, Dr. Mansing Rongpi who is widely considered an excellent physician. However , if the apex body of BJP chooses not to ground any elected person from public office to avoid any re-polling, member of BJP state body and former Karbi Anglong district BJP president Lonki Phangcho, a retired IAS may become the ultimate choice of the party.

The BJP has formed a panel to finalize candidates for the upcoming election. Speaking to media persons, Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Out of the 14 seats, the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) will field candidate in Kokrajhar. We will declare the final list of the candidates on March 16.”